Connectors used to transmit electrical power, such as alternating current (AC) power and/or direct current (DC) power include power contacts mounted within an electrically-insulated housing. In a typical application, a receptacle connector includes two rows of power contacts (or a single row of power cable assemblies) that are configured to mate with a single row of power contacts of a corresponding header connector. The power contacts of the receptacle connector may each define single beam, two beam, or even four beam mating ends. In high powered applications, the beams or mating ends of adjacent contacts are separated by a divider that is defined by the housing. The divider may increase a minimum creep distance between the adjacent contacts so as to increase the maximum working voltage of the connector. That is, the minimum distance between adjacent power contacts taken along the surface of an insulating material between the two power contacts is increased.
Power connectors are designed to have a low profile and a high working voltage. For example, a standard high powered receptacle connector has two rows of power contacts with a pitch of about 10.16 mm, and a minimum creep distance of about 0.7 mm. These standard connectors can achieve a current density of about 150 A/inch, and a maximum working voltage of 100V AC (140V DC). While such connectors are an improvement over earlier connectors, there remains a need to achieve higher working voltages while at the same time minimizing the overall profile of the connector.